HAWKE CUP

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 97, 23 March 1940, Page 8

HAWKE CUP

BAY OF PLENTY CHALLENGE. FIVE WICKETS FOR 80. After a steady and workmanlike opening this afternoon, the Bay of Plenty cricket team, challenging for the Hawke Cup now held by Manawatu, had 5 wickets down for 80 runs at the luncheon adjournment. The Sportsground oval, on which the match is being played, was very da’nip after yesterday’s rain. Bay of Plenty won the toss and decided to bat first. Although the visitors were unable to practise yesterday, their use of matting wickets at home stood them in good stead against fast bowling, for they played forward to it, naturally. The Wanganui team’s performance in the last challenge showed that playing back is dangerous. Several of the batsmen to-dav were not loth to drive any bowler to the boundary, and fairly interesting cricket was the result. Although the wicket was drying out under light sunshine, which came when the match opened, it cut up badly at the outset and, at least in the early stages gave no aid to cither Pritchard or Downes, the two Manawatu fast bowlers. Pritchard opened from the liver end, bowling with a .very slight breeze that just stirred the boundary (lags. Alter four overs Ba rraud was used for two at the city end. to change Downes to the river end. Pritchard stood down for an over by Speinian, and on coining back took his first two wickets. Downes caused concern among the batsmen with his deliveries, which nipped in from the leg side. Further, the pitch was playing tricks with the ball and there was uncertainly as to where it would go.' After an hour and a half’s play the wicket dried out enough to allow Pritchard to get some “’devil” into lus, bowling, and it was at this stage that ho gathered in his second wicket in clean bowling the visitors’ fifth man. The teams are : Bay of Plentv.—N. AY. Ba.vley (captain), B. Harding, L. Spring. D. J. Ewart, J. Douglas, A. McGill, J. 0. M. Simmers, R. L. Ewart, D. Lawrence, E. Andrews, R. G. B. Chadwick. Manawatu. —TV. E. Norris (captain), T. L. Pritchard, T. Downes, C. Mevicar, S. McYicar, AY. Pollitt, E. Collis, A. Carlisle, P. Spclman, G. Robertson, C. E. Bar rand. With 11 runs scored .by Andrews (left-handed) and Spring, the latter had a remarkable “life.” He put a ball from Downes out to point and C. McVicar fielded it only to overthrow. Meanwhile, Spring had run -and Andrews had not. Spring waited expecting to sec his wicket fall, and then hurried back when the throw-in was not effective. In the next over Spring put a delivery from Pritchard on the boundary for a four, the first of the match. After a stay of just over 45 minutes at the wickets Spring, possibly the visitors’ most promising batsman and one who is remembered in Manawatu for many very fine scores, was caught bv Norris (wicketkeeper) after snicking a ball from Downes. Spring had scored 20 runs, including three fours. Pollitt earned rounds of applause when he held an outstanding catch to dismiss Andrews. The batsman was at] the wicket for 80 minutes lor 20 runs. I He cut a ball sharply from Downes and it rose toward Pollitt at backward point, the fieldsman taking it though off his balance and falling to roll on tlie ground. The total was then 52. Harding's wicket fell next —lie was caught and bowled by Pritchard, who thus gained his first wicket with the last ball of his eighth over. His average wa.s one for 22. Douglas was very unhappy againstPritchard, who took his wicket in a maiden over. Douglas’s six-minute innings ended when he tried to hook a ball from his off stump. D. J. Ewart was clean howled by Pritchard after contributing four runs. Pritchard’s average was now 3 for 26. Chadwick, the following batsman, had a “life” when Norris missed a difficult catch. Details: BAY OF PLENTY. Spring, c Norris, b Downes ... 20 Andrews, c Pollitt. b Downes ... 20 Harding, c and !> Pritchard 10 Bavlev, not out ... U Douglas, b Pritchard 0 D. .J. Ewart. 1> Pritchard 4 Chadwick, not out 4 Extras V Total for 5 wickets 80 Fall of wickets.—l for 22, 2 for 52. 3 for 56. 4 for 64, 5 for 75. BOWLING ANALYSIS.

0. M. R. w. Pritchard ... 12 3 2S 3 Pritchard ... ... 12 3 28 3 Downes ... id 3 32 2 Barraud ... 2 1 8 0 Spelraan 1 0 5 0